Maximus and the PBS leaders at the delegates conferences.
KOTA KINABALU (June 30): Parti Bersatu Sabah (PBS) has matured and is no longer afraid of future barriers, said its president, Datuk Seri Panglima Dr Maximus Johnity Ongkili.
He said that experiences have given PBS a lot of experiences.
“All the bitter sweet experiences that we have undergone we have made as a compass to find the best solutions to improve our party’s weaknesses,” he said at the PBS 36th and 37th Annual Delegates Conferences held at Wisma Hakka here on Thursday.
He recounted the bitter experience of losing several of the party’s people’s representatives in 1994 which forced PBS to become the opposition and for Sabah to be led by an opposition party.
Maximus also recounted how, after the 14th general election in 2018, PBS decided to stand alone.
“We decided to fly our own flag which has long rested when we joined the big Barisan Nasional family. We decided not to join any party but for the sake of unity with political parties that are aligned with us, PBS decided to work with Perikatan Nasional,” he said.
He added that it was difficult to forget UPKO’s betrayal after the party left Barisan Nasional (BN) to form the government with Parti Warisan Sabah.
“Nevertheless, it was that betrayal that led to the formation of Gabungan Rakyat Sabah (GRS) where PBS, together with other political friends namely Parti Pribumi Bumiputera Malaysia (PPBM), Sabah STAR, Sabah Progressive Party, Usno and Umno fought against our political adversary,” he said.
“The joint effort was not wasted and led to the fall of the Warisan-UPKO government and allowed the retaking of the government,” he said.
Maximus also said that PBS is comfortable working with the parties under GRS.
GRS was registered in March 2022 and launched by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Hajiji Noor on May 22, 2022.
“We must remain committed and fight for the GRS mission and vision,” he added.
He also shared that PBS has always invested in the principle of honourable politics, and for PBS, honesty and sincerity are the best recipe to maintain unity in the coalition.
“PBS has gone through various challenges in its mission to find the best formula for political stability and finally found it in GRS.
“As elected representatives, we must be honest and fair to the people who have placed us here. We cannot turn our backs on the voters who have voted and trusted us to lead them because of self-greed,” advised Maximus.
He also mentioned that one of PBS struggles has been for the implementation of the anti-party hopping law.
Maximus stressed that the law must be implemented soon for the sake of the country’s political stability.
“To us in PBS, this is not only professional but subscribing to the dignity of man (maruah), especially as a victim to the party hopping tradition.
“Too many of PBS YBs have left the party for the sake of personal gain and if the law is approved, all the people’s representatives will be more responsible and not easily switch into political frogs,” he said.